Agreement between the government of the Republic of Finland and the government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning passenger traffic on the Saimaa Canal and in the territory leased by the Republic of Finland from the USSR as far as Vyborg or in transit to the open seas

The Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
Having regard to the favourable development of friendly, good neighbourly relations between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the basis of the Finnish-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Coöperation and Mutual Assistance of 6 April 1948,
Referring to the Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the lease to the Republic of Finland of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal and Maly Vysotsky Island of 27 September 1962,
In response to the desire of the Republic of Finland to expand the use of the Saimaa Canal for passenger traffic,
Desiring to settle these matters with a view to ensuring comprehensive coöperation between the two countries, and,
Considering the experience in the application of the Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning passenger traffic on the Saimaa Canal and in the territory leased by the Republic of Finland from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and concerning transit traffic to Leningrad of 7 March 1968, including all subsequent amendments and additions thereto since its entry into force,
Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The Contracting Parties agree to continue to cooperate on matters relating to passenger traffic on the Saimaa Canal as far as Vyborg or in transit to and from the open seas throughout the period of operation of the Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the lease to the Republic of Finland of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal and Maly Vysotsky Island of 27 September 1962.

Article 2

Passengers may be carried by water on board passenger vessels, freight-and-passenger vessels or pleasure craft sailing under the flag of the Republic of Finland or of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and on board pleasure craft sailing under the flag of a third country in the directions indicated in article 1 of this Agreement, on the understanding that passengers shall be carried by water on board pleasure craft sailing under the flag of a third country in the manner specified in article 2 of the Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the lease to the Republic of Finland of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal and Maly Vysotsky Island of 27 September 1962. The above-mentioned pleasure craft may pass through the leased territory of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal only if the permission of the competent Finnish and Soviet authorities is obtained in each case.

After crossing the Finnish-Soviet State Frontier, vessels shall, while in the internal and territorial waters of the Republic of Finland, proceed only along the fairway recommended by the competent authorities of the Republic of Finland and, while in the internal and territorial waters of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, proceed only along the fairway recommended by the competent authorities of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Passenger vessels or pleasure craft sailing under the flag of the Republic of Finland and pleasure craft sailing under the flag of a third country shall be permitted o use the Prodolny Lotsman fairway, which extends through Soviet internal waters f the Gulf of Finland from Mayachny Island to the Finnish-Soviet State frontier, for transit traffic to and from the Saimaa Canal. Passenger vessels and pleasure craft ailing under the flag of the Republic of Finland and pleasure craft sailing under the flag of a third country shall proceed along the above-mentioned fairway in the manner specified in the Protocol on the use of the Prodolny Lotsman fairway, which extends from Mayachny Island to the Finnish-Soviet State frontier, for the towing of timber rafts and the passage of Finnish tug-boats, of 26 April 1969.

Passage through the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal by vessels of any kind sailing under the flag of a third country, with the exception of trading vessels engaged in the commercial transport of goods or in towing to or from the Republic of Finland and pleasure craft, shall not be permitted.

Article 3

Passengers on cruise ships passing through the Saimaa Canal shall not require tourist visas to make tourist stops when travelling between the port of Tsvetochnoye in the Saimaa Lake district and Vyborg. Finnish passenger vessels shall be permitted to moor for short stops at the Tsvetochnoye lock, and to allow passengers to disembark to view the lock and visit the Soviet international club. Passengers shall be permitted to disembark in Vyborg as part of their tour itinerary and may remain in Vyborg while the vessel is moored, according to schedule, but for no longer than 48 hours, provided that they spend the night on the vessel and depart from Vyborg on the same vessel. Tourists of Finnish nationality bearing personal identification documents and tourists of third countries bearing foreign passports shall be permitted to disembark. When a return trip is made on the same day (day of arrival), combined means of transportation shall be permitted; in one direction by vessel (or by bus) and on the return trip by bus (or by vessel). Transfer from one means of transportation to another may occur only in Vyborg.

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall carry out frontier, customs and health control at points to be designated by each Contracting Party in its own territory.

Article 4

For the purposes of this Agreement, passengers on Finnish and Soviet passenger vessels who are nationals of Finland or of third countries and crews of pleasure craft sailing under the flag of Finland or of a third country shall be permitted transit passage without a visa through the territorial and internal waters of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal between the seaports of Finland and the ports of Lake Saimaa.

Vessel authorities must ensure that no individual disembarks or embarks during the journey. In certain cases, Soviet frontier authorities shall have the right to verify, together with the vessel authorities, the personal identification documents of passengers and crew members. As part of their duties, captains of vessels shall provide the Soviet frontier authorities with a list of passengers, indicating their first and last names, date and place of birth and nationality.

Article 5

The crews and passengers of vessels shall be required, on the Finnish part of the Saimaa Canal, to comply with the laws of the Republic of Finland, and, on the territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to comply with Soviet laws, bearing in mind the provisions of article 13 of the Agreement between the Republic f Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the lease to the Republic of Finland of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal and Maly Vysotsky Island of 27 September 1962.

Article 6

The rental for the passage through the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal of passenger vessels, freight-and-passenger vessels and pleasure craft shall be calculated, on the basis of the gross registered tonnage of the said vessels, in the manner specified in article 10 of the Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the lease to the Republic of Finland of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal and Maly Vysotsky Island of 27 September 1962, one gross registered ton being deemed equivalent to one ton of goods transported.

Article 7

In all matters relating to passenger traffic which are connected to the interpretation and application of this Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall apply the provisions of the Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the lease to the Republic of Finland of the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal and Maly Vysotsky Island of 27 September 1962.

Article 8

The Agreement between the Republic of Finland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning passenger traffic on the Saimaa Canal and in the territory leased by the Republic of Finland from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and concerning transit traffic to Leningrad of 7 March 1968, including all subsequent amendments and additions thereto since its entry into force, shall cease to be valid as of the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

Article 9

This Agreement shall enter into force thirty days following the date of the exchange of notes by the Contracting Parties informing each other that the constitutional procedures required for its entry into force have been completed. It shall remain in force for the period specified in article 1 of this Agreement or until the expiry of ninety days from the date on which one of the Contracting Parties gives written notice to the other Contracting Party of its intention to terminate the Agreement.

Done at Moscow, on 15 October 1990, in duplicate in the Finnish and Russian languages, both texts being equally authentic.

For the Government of the Republic of Finland:
Juhani Korpela

For the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics:
V.P.Fedenko